The village of Bode was laid out in November, 1881, by the Cedar Rapids, Iowa Falls and Northwestern Town Lot Company.  The plat of the town was filed for record on the 23rd of February, 1882.  This place, which lies upon the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad, about five and one- miles west of Livermore.  The depot was built here in March, 1882, and of the sixty acres owned by the Town Lot Company on section eighteen, they platted about thirty south of the tracks and sold twenty of the balance to M. Buhler, of the firm of Ough and Buhler.

The first business house erected was by T. A. Rossing in April, 1882.  Opheim and Gangestad opened a general merchandise store in the town on June 3, 1883.